Flying-machine.



1. F. BILLENSTEIN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1916. 1,279,231. PatentedSept. 17, 19.18.

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J. F. BILLENSTEIN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-12.1916.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

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FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED, APR. 12. 1916.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY JOHN FREDERICK BILLENSTEIN, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Application filed April 12, 1916.

flying machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of flying machines and to provide a simple, practical, and safe flying machine of comparatively inexpensive construction adapted to be operated either manually or by a motor and equipped with means for instantly bringing into action a parachute which will be adapted to enable the machine in event of accident to float gently to the ground without injury to either the machine or the occupant thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flying machine of this character adapted to be easily guided and controlled and provided with means for enabling it to hover or flutter or ascend without moving forwardly so that missiles may be accurately directed against an object.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings-- Figure l is a side elevation of a flying machine constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan view, the top being partly broken away to illustrate the construction of the mechanism of the flying machine,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the, combined top and parachute.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the construction of the vibratory concavo-convex blade,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918. Serial No. 90,647.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the valves of the same,

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the clutches for connecting the propellers to the driving shaft,

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of the tail blade or plane.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodimentof the invention, the flying machine which is of the aeroplane type comprises in its construction, a supporting frame 1 mounted upon suitable wheels 2 and 3, the wheels 2 being located at opposite sides of the frame and being of greater diameter than the wheels 3 which are located at the front and back of the frame and which are preferably of the caster wheel type for guiding the machine when the same is running on the surface of the ground. The wheels in practice will be provided with cushioned tires preferably filled with powdered cork or other suitable means for rendering the wheels buoyant to enable the machine to float on the surface of the water. The cushioned tires may be made of any desired size to secure this result and the frame which is rectangular in plan view may be constructed 1 in any suitable manner and braced by" any suitable means to secure the reduisite strength and lightness.

The frame of the flying machine is provided with a fabric top 4: constructed of suitable material and having accordion plaited side portions and end portions 5 adapted to be normally maintained in a closed or compact condition and secured in such folded position by means of clips 6 connected with a cord 7 having an operating portion 8 adapted to disengage the clips from the a(? cordion plaited or folded marginal portions 5 to ena le the top to expand and form a parachute. T he folded or accordion plaited marginal portions are illustrated or shown exaggerated in the accompanying drawings but in practice a suflicient nmnber of folds or plaits may be compactly arranged so as not to interfere with use of the fabric top of the machine as a plane if so desired. and instead of securing the plaited or folded marginal portions by me ns of the clips any suitable fastening devices may of co-mse be provided. Also the parachute top may be mounted in any other desired manner as will be readily understood. It will be seen that when the parachute top is released that it will form a parachute and permit the machine in event of accident to float gently to the ground and that injury both to the machine and the occupant thereof will be thereby avoided. This will enable many accidents to be avoided as the parachute is always in position for instant use.

The machine is equipped at opposite sides with hinged stabilizing planes 9 pivotally mounted at 10 and equipped with suitable handles or operating levers 11 carrying latches 12 for engaging toothed segments 13 or other suitable locking means for securing the side planes 9 in their adjustment. The handles 11 aredesigned to be located within easy reach of the seat 14' mounted on the frame for the convenience of the aviator. Also the machine is provided with a tail plane 15 having a depending blade 16 and also equipped with a series of pivoted slats 17 connected with a suitable operating device 18 which may consist of a rod, cord or other suitable means adapted to open the slats to permit the passage of air therethrough to prevent gusts of Wind from affecting the equilibrium and stability of the flying machine by operating on the tail blade which may be of any desired size and shape. Also in practice the machine will be provided with a Suitable rudder and it is equipped at the front with a movably mounted front elevating plane 19 having'a depending blade '20 and hinged at the front to permit it to be arranged at different angles or inclinations. The front adjustable plane 19 is provided with a pair of handles 21 adapted to be gripped by the operator and a suitable locking device 22 is provided for securing the front plane in its adjustment. The flying machine which may be operated either manually or by means of a motor (not shown) is equipped with front and rear propellers 23 and 24, mounted on front and rear propeller shafts 25 and 26 and adapted to'be engaged by suitable clutches 27' which cause rotation of the propellers in one direction for forward propulsion when the propeller shafts are driven forwardly but which permit the propellers to remain stationary when the propeller shafts are driven in a retrograde direction as hereinafter fully explained, for the purpose of permitting independent operation of the vibratory concavo-convex blades 28. The

propellers which are loose on the propeller shafts and are held from sliding off of the shafts by the clutch 27 are provided with projections 29 which are adapted to be engaged by shoulders 30 of sliding sleeves 31. The shoulders engage the projections of the propellers when the sliding sleeves are moved forwardly and the sliding sleeves are actuating the propellers.

provided with inclined or angularly disposed faces 32 which permit the sleeves to ratchet past the projections when the shafts are rotated rearwardly.

The sliding sleeve is urged into engagement with the coacting projectionsby means of a coiled spring 38 and it is locked against relative rotary 1110\911'161113 by a pin or key 34 piercing the propeller shafts and operating in a slot 35 of the sleeve 31. The propellers simultaneously actuate the flying machine and the propeller shafts which extend inwardly from the propellers in a direction longitudinally of the flying machine are equipped at their inner ends with pinions 38 which mesh with a gear wheel 39 mounted on a driving shaft 40 journaled in suitable bearings and equipped with pedals 41 to enable the aeroplane to be operated in a manner similar to an ordinary bicycle but any suitable motor may be employed for The propeller shafts are equipped with eccentrics 42 operating in eccentric straps 43 which are provided with pivots 44 extending through an ear 46 of the eccentric strap and through slots 47 of levers 48. The levers 48 which are fulcrumed intermediate of their ends at 49 are disposed transversely of the machine at the front and rear portions thereof and their outer arms carry the concavo-convex blades 28, so that when the propeller shafts are rotated the said blades 28 will be vibrated and moved upwardly and downwardly. The blades 28 which present lower concaved faces are provided at intervals with openings 49 which during the downward movement of the blades 28 are closed or covered by valves 50. The valves 50 are preferably flap valves and open under the pressure of the atmosphere on the upward movement of the blades 28 and the said blades 28 in their downward movement are adapted to exert a lifting force which may be sufiicient to sustain the flying machine in an elevated position to enable the flying machine to hover or flutter and they may also be operated with sufficient power to exert a lifting force for elevating the flying machine. The blades 28 are equipped with sleeves 52 mounted on the oscillatory levers 48 and provided with handles 53 in order to allow of rotation and adjustment of the blades 28 upon the shafts 48 so as to enable the concavo-convex blades to be tilted forwardly or inclined from the horizontal and 'ingsand various means may be provided for oscillating the levers which carry the blades 1n their upward and downward moves ment. "When the propeller shafts are retated forwardly the propellers are operated simultaneously with the blades 28 but when it is desired to actuate the blades 2 without operating the propellers the-driving shaft.

ropes or other suitable flexible connections and alsp provided with ahoisting rope or connection 56. to enable the weight to be raised and lowered to .vary the effect of the same and also to lift it out of the way when the machine is to descend to the surface of the ground.

What is claimed is 1. A flying machine of the class describe including a shaft, an eccentric mounted. on the-shaft, an eccentric strap arranged on the eccentric,leversextending in opposite directions from the eccentric strap and'oonnected with the. same, said levers being connected at their inner ends, and vibratory blades connected with the levers at the outer ends thereof and movable upwardly and downwardly and provided with-valved apertures adapted to open automatically on the upward movement and close on the downward movement.

2. A flying machine of the class described including an eccentric, an eccentric strap arranged on the eccentric, oscillatory levers extending in opposite directions from the eccentric strap and connected at their inner ends to the same, said levers being fulcrumed intermediate of their ends, and vibratory blades having sleeves arranged on the outer ends of the oscillatory levers ,for rotary movement and angular adjustment and provided with operating and adjustinghandles.

3. A flying machine of the class described including a propeller shaft adapted to row tate in both directions, propelling means" mounted on the propeller shaft, an eccentric also mounted'on said shaft, vibratory blades actuated by said, eccentric and a clutch mounted on the propeller shaft and arranged to rotate the propelling means when the shaft is .rotated in one direction only whereby the blades may be continuously operated regardless of the operation of the propelling means.

4; A flying machine including a propeller shaft adapted to rotate in both directidns, means for actuating the same, propelling means on sai'dshaft and clutching means operably connecting the propelling means to the shaft when the latter is rotated in one direction only, and a vibratory blade actuated by the propeller shaft while the same is rotated in either direction.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

JOHN FREDERICK BILLENSTEIN.

Witnesses: I

ROBERT W. BRADENBURG, S. KEMP. 

